Keepin' it oldschool

Sometimes I hate the world we live in. What I mean is that I hate the technical aspects of the world we love in. However, I should add that I love my iPhone. And my MAC. And my iPod and lots of other things that have a little “i” in front of it. Exit Ms Pessimistic and please welcome Ms Contradiction.
Allow me to explain.
I always dreamt of having children. When I was a little girl, my mom brought me to a doll store and allowed me to pick out a doll. When she asked which one I wanted, I replied, “The one with the penis.” I’m not sure why the dolls were nude OR why the boy doll actually had a penis. I’m also not sure why I knew the word “penis.” But it’s a true story, promise. My sister and my mom can vouch for me. Fast-forward many years and here I am, mother to not one, but two boys.
Back to my dream of having children. I fantasized about what I would teach them, the places we would go, the books I would read them, how their father would interact with them, who they would become. All that good stuff. I’ll tell you what my fantasy did not include: iPods, iPads, video games, etc. I look down my street today and in place of kids playing, I see empty trash cans waiting to be pulled in and cars that somehow make it from one side of the street to the other to avoid tickets on street cleaning days.
So the question I pose is this: How do you raise a modern kid with vintage ideals?
Y’all can help me out with the answer because I have some ideas, but certainly you must have others. Multiple brains are better than one. Help this mother out.
Here are some things we do:
We support small businesses. For example, we buy handmade and vintage goodies on Etsy. We also buy from local Farmer’s Markets and opt for the local Pizza Cafe over the Little Ceasars right around the corner.
We buy ice cream from the ice cream man.
  We (try to) listen to records rather than watch TV. Though truth me told, Curious George takes the cake in this house (gun makes contact with forehead).
When we do watch cartoons, we try to put on classics like Tom & Jerry or the Flinestones. Hooper was Fred a few Halloweens ago.
We play outdoors. Luckily we live in sunny southern California, so a getaway to the beach is never out of the question. Last year, we were heading to the sand and sea into October, when temperatures were still in the triple digits. We even made it to the beach in January and a couple times in February. Nevermind the current rain storm, that will pass. 
We read old books. They’re worn. I like them for the simpler stories and old school values.
We buy vintage clothing and toys. I love the idea of re-using. All but a few pairs of Hooper’s shoes have been purchased used. And many of his toys were my own as a child. They remind me of a simpler time and I like the idea of him adding wear and tear to something I’ve already broken in with my own grubby hands.
We attend fairs, carnivals, and the local circus because we can’t get enough of deep fried twinkies, classic cars, petting zoos, and clowns.
We live in a home built in the 1950’s and do our best to keep it in it’s era. Our dream home is an Eichler.
And here’s how we mix in some modern twists:
You won’t find this mama in the kitchen. No soriee. Willy wears the apron in this family. And quite well, I might add. 
I like to capture moments with any kind of camera modern day puts in my hands. I have poloroid, film, and digital cameras. I also love instagram. Though, back in college I did spend time developing my own black and white film in the darkroom, so there is that.

Like 8mm films? Me too. Though you won’t find any 8mm film in my home. I use to the super 8 app on my iPhone to make movies like this.
How ’bout you? How do vintage and modern come together in your household?

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Mama Style

jacket, target // striped tank, american apparel // jeans, joe’s // shoes, my mom’s closet
Well, it’s still coming out by the handfuls. I’m talking about my hair. I’ve got the postpartum hair loss blues and the worst part yet is that it hasn’t even begun to let up. I distinctly remember how this all went down the first time around: globs of hair come out in the shower (stage 1), bald spots appear along the hairline (stage 2), little hairs begin to grow back in and resemble little antennas sticking straight out of my head (stage 3), hair returns to “normal” (stage 4). The space in between stage 1 and stage 4 is about two years. And I’m still in stage 1, sigh. Ho hum. Shoulder shrug. Poor me. Wah wah. Hash tag: WhyDoesMyHusbandStillGetToLookTheSameQuestionMark. I’m really catching on to the whole hash tag phenomena as of late, can you tell? So fun.
There is one thing that’s making me quite happy during all this hair loss: Target jackets. Yup, it’s as simple as a trip to Target to turn this maybe I should invest in Target hats too blues upside down. Almost every year, I nab me a Target jacket. Here’s some of my favorites this season:
You know what would go best with any one of these little numbers? A full head of hair. Long luxurious locks. Hair so strong I could drape it out my castle window and let Willy, aka my prince, climb up to give me the sweetest of goodnight kisses. What’d you say? I’m getting ridiculous now? I know, I know. That’s why balding is synonymous with aging… because you go crazy.

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A Trinket, A Tasket

I love a good treasure hunt and I’ve gotten Willy hot on the trot as well. With my best treasure finding friend in Utah, it’s nice to have Willy as a partner. We went to nearly all of the thrift stores and consignment shops while in Big Bear and snooped our way around grandma’s cabin and here’s what we found:

I’ve been looking for the perfect globe for Hooper’s new room. I found this one for half off at a thrift store. Score!

 

A book about Elephants, for Hooper. 
A letter “H” bookend for none other than Hooper. Are you noticing a theme here?

A set of vintage sheets. I have visions of making this into a crib sheet, but if the baby’s a boy, then I figure the pillow cases are great anyway and I suppose I can use the sheet to make something else.
Vintage yellow lucite grapes. Classic.

These are just some of the fabulous records I found. A dollar a piece, you can’t beat it.

These little lion pillows were a cabin find. I placed several calls to my grandma for her permission to take these treasures home with me. They have been in the cabin as long as I can remember and I think they will look great on Hooper’s big boy bed. He was fond of them as well. So happy to have these.

This little book of things around the house. I’m smitten over these images and I love fabric books, I really do. Hooper can’t eat them and their washable. Seriously, why aren’t all chrildren’s books made of fabric?

Aw yes, something for mama. I love this vintage gold watch. I need to get a new battery and have some links removed, otherwise it’s golden.

Mushroom treasures for the kitchen.

This adorable honey jar. Right now it’s in the kitchen, but I thought it’d also look cute in the one of the kid’s room. Maybe as a bank or goody jar. Something about actually putting honey in it seems like a disaster to me. But it was too cute to pass up.

Vintage Mikasa plates to add to our growing ecclectic plate collection. Seriously, we need to stop. We have no more room for plates, no matter how cool they are.
Not pictured is a b-e-a-u-tiful mid century dresser we found and negotiated down for a very reasonable price. It’s sitting in the garage, awaiting it’s placement in Hooper’s new room. I’ll share pictures when that room is complete but until then, trust me that it was the best steal of this trip.

Style de Hooper

I’m in trouble if this next little bun in the oven is a girl, because my online shopping carts are full with the cutest little frilly things. In the meantime, I’ll spoil my little boy with the cutest vintage finds. Here’s what my recent shopping spree bought him. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I buy more for him than I do for myself. Welcome to motherhood, right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Included was this sweet little note from Jen @ Olivers Forest

Sources: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven

Style de Hooper

Here’s another snazzy look Hooper rocked the other day. See that little curl over his left ear? It’s killing me with cuteness. The outfit isn’t so bad either.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See that cut on his left hand? He had a run in with the mirror. Oh and that mark on his chin, you ask? Not even sure when or where that happened. This boy… I tell ya…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shirt: The Children’s Place
Vintage overalls: From Etsy seller Little Reader Vintage
Shoes: Classic Vans

Then & Now, A Vintage Teddy

For Christmas, I unwrapped the most special gift. I’ve been eyeing this teddy bear since I was pregnant with Hooper. It was my moms as a baby and she’s held on to it all these years. Thus, she was reluctant to hand it over. It took a special holiday for this beauty to land in my lap and I’m oh so glad it has. It will either go in Hooper’s new room or in the new nursery. I haven’t decided yet. Thanks mom, I’ll treat er’ good.

Style de Hooper

I’ve been inspired by James at Bleubird Vintage who does several posts of her and her extra adorable family and what they wore. Willy and I don’t pride ourselves much on our rather mundane and boring style, so I’ve left us out of this post and am directing your attention to Hooper, who is rockin’ this snazzy vintage look today. 1970’s called and is asking that Hooper join them on the court.
Shirt: Health Tex Tennis T, purchased on Ebay
Shorts: From Etsy seller, Little Reader Vintage
Shoes: Classic Converse